SH Group Executive Minutes, Meeting #4
April 2, 2022
9:00-3:00 EST
In-person and teleconference
Present: James McGrath, Ian Shaw, Lynn Huff, Rene Campbell, Lynn Ohlson, Christine McDowell, Deborah Gaon, Selena Glover, Bruno Gagnon, Adam Fenwick, Eric Massey, Peter Rodrigues, Eric Massey, Terry Hupman
Absent: Jeremy Mayer, Lori Clace,
Negotiator: Cara Ryan
*Translation Services were available
1. Welcome from President Lynn Ohlson: meeting started at 9:08
2. Approval of Agenda: Moved – Lynn Ohlson
Seconded - Selena Glover
Carried
Additions: Subgroup President’s meeting – there is a need for contact information and
information about which groups are still active
Additions of SME’s for bargaining
Eric Massey: recruitment/retention/ money/ letters – Executive recommendation
3 Approval of Minutes from Previous Meeting: Lynn Ohlson, Adam Fenwick Carried
Approval of Minutes from Bargaining team meeting: Selena Glover, Christine McDowell
Carried
Lynn Olsen Acknowledged Lynn Huff for taking minutes and Selena her work on the By-Laws
4. Business Arising from Previous Meetings:
Lynn Ohlson will speak to Elizabeth, the new AA, about posting the minutes on the website.
Format of the how the minutes to be posted was discussed.
5. Standing Items:
a. SH bargaining & NP/Ps/SW table update: Cara Ryan, Adam Fenwick
The Bargaining Team is meeting on a regular basis and are focusing on distributing a survey.
The Central Table will be meeting in May and June.
The aim is to start meeting with TB in the fall. It has not been decided as to whether there will be a Central Table for this bargaining round
We are still developing a strategy on how to reach out to members. Strategies for mobilization to connect with members for the issues and let them know we are at the table, focus group blitz. This will be done by the end of May.
The 1st day of a 2 day bargaining training has been done.
There may be difficulty at getting all groups to the Central Bargaining table
Have done the 1st day of bargaining training. Normally, a 2 day training.
We may have difficulty at getting all the groups to the Central Table, so at this time there may not be a central table for monetary issues. There will be a couple of groups that will not be at the Central Table.
The SBC group will be dealing with autonomy/ solidarity
As an Executive, we will be deferring to the bargaining team regarding being at a Central Table.
No decision has been made at this time
Adam: Last time was the most successful for bargaining in terms of monetary issues – TB may bargain with some groups and apply that to the rest of the groups.
There may be a non-monetary table vs a monetary table (parental leave, telework etc.). We will be making the decision and bringing it to the TB who may/may not accept our proposal.
Eric: We have lost a lot of members during the pandemic and this may be able to provide some leverage with the bargaining.
Cara: Pay and telework will not be individually gained.
Lynn O: we need to be more autonomous as to how the money is to be distributed amongst our group.
Telework – There are guidelines already in place but there is a wedge regarding those working from home vs those that need to attend the office workspace. The telework issues depend on the government attitudes and this can be changed by the employer at any time.
If we go to CT, can we get a sum of money to fix the pay inequity issues for groups that are underpaid. There are difficult decisions to be made regarding participating in the CT or bargaining on our own.
Arguments for recruitment retention – then you go into comparators, there will be other factors involved and going to arbitration may include a non-partial group making decisions as to what is fair.
Going through the process regarding work descriptions for psychologists and NP: the work description for the psychologists was recently finalized. NPs need to work regarding pay equity and hopefully they can get a job description completed.
b. MOU on Northern Nurses Safety & Security & Security and Hours of Work/Compensation for Travel: Cara Ryan
deferred
6. New Business:
a. Sub group presidents meeting has been moved to September due to lack of room availability in Ottawa. If termed a bargaining conference we could have funding from PIPSC rather than taking it from our funds.
We do need confirmation of active subgroups, who is in charge of those sub-groups.
Eric M. has sent an email to enquire who is in charge of each subgroup and is awaiting a reply. There are now 15 sub-groups - Edmonton has folded and perhaps Winnipeg may fold
Due to the timelines involved, September may be too late to meet with the Sub-group presidents. The Bargaining team may decide to meet with them sooner but there will be issues with accommodation when the Executive meets on June 9-10. The meeting with the sub-group presidents may need to be virtual if accommodation cannot be found. Lynn will check with Liz to see if there is other accommodation in another hotel. The bargaining conference would then be funded by the bargaining committee.
We will wait to find out how many groups are coming and are hoping for June if accommodation is available.
b: June retirement celebration: Lynn has put together a business process to include the retired members and recognition for the long- standing awards members. Gifts: we have provided about $200 for gifts for those members who have retired.
Dinner on Saturday, June 11th for dinner.
Colleen Leinenweber and Ginette Tardif were excited to be included in this proposal regarding recognition gifts.
Eric is thinking of En Rouge for dinner.
Gifts could be around $250 a member or whatever is allowed in the PIPSC by-laws.
We will provide these funds in MC gift cards.
c. Fall AGM: Date: October 14-15, 2022 Location: Possibly Fredrictown will plan some activity to accommodate 60 people
Perhaps, keep the AGM in September to coincide with the Executive meeting – Passed
d. Hybrid meetings: We need to find out the lead time to organize a hybrid meeting – In person and virtual (teleconference – preferred or ZOOM meeting. We do not have the ability to provide translationZA services. We could open Zoom at each meeting. This option is very costly for Hybrid meetings and last minute organization is not there. PIPSC wants to avoid hybrid type meetings. It is a finger in the dyke while we are still dealing with COVID. We cannot justify the expense for the group. We may be able to purchase a TEAMS account as we do have the money.
Zoom is far superior than TEAMS
e. Bargaining Survey:
Terry has suggested that there be a dry run of the survey in order to iron out survey issues Perhaps a living document would help to solve the issues brought forward on the survey.
f. 2022 Election NU-VAC:
A mistake was made as the wording from there was taken from the previous election and included in this election – there are not as many VAC nurses and this Executive position was deleted in the past. Do it again and run it with the MAL position. The position for VAC has been acclaimed and the election will be run again. Terry will let the member know on Monday.
Perhaps we can discuss this in a portion of our Executive meetings. The elections committee may go to the by-laws at every election. To keep as much consistency as possible on the elections committee.
g. Meal allowance working overtime from home:
In some departments meal allowance is provided when working overtime from home. PIPSCs position – members need to take allowances when working from home. This issue is going forward to the board to be formally addressed. That change is on the TB agenda to put forward on the agenda for amendment
h. SME’s for bargaining:
MD Lynn Huff – to participate in bargaining team yes
VM Deborah Gaoen - yes
OP: Selena will check into people interested in this position
i. Tech needs for Bargaining Team: 4 laptops sent to bargaining team that request them.
Leah Munro – has mailed back her computer and Adam now has it and he is requesting to
keep the computer Passed
- Microsoft Office: for bargaining team members – 1 year personal subscription
- Move that we purchase: Adam Fenwick and seconded by Deborah Passed
- Antivirus: Norton? Don’t really need this piece of software
J. Posting of the meeting minutes on the website – will wait until Jeremey returns. As Jeremy
has recently resigned from the Executive, Lynn H will discuss at the next executive
meeting
7. Reports
a. President’s Report:
March 24 – last AC meeting –there is a level of disengagement in members
Lea Henshaw: looking into this issue – proposal going to the board – full time Chief Steward officer – re-ignite interest and participation
Stewart training co-ordination – virtual vs in-person
Difficulty in getting stewards trained – the training has been moving around as there is not always a region doing the training. Will need to fund travel.
Meals for virtual training
Next AC meeting April 30
The discrimination complaint we had has not moved forward
Lynn meeting Joanne formally on April 13 to discuss the president’s duties
Lynn to go to Newfoundland in June for the subgroup meeting and AGM.
Hospitality: discussed with Joanne what the custom is regarding hospitality – if it was $500 per occurrence and has presidential discretion – if more, has to come to the table.
Bar tabs picked up – wine/beer for the hospitality room.
Lynn has agreed to coordinate as long as she has assistance in picking up the food/alcohol
b. Treasurer’s Report:
Bank account: 47,455
Budget will be approved at the AGM
The Treasurer will contact PIPSC to see what our allotment number will be this year.
c. Membership/Rand
There are currently 3516 SH members – 504 of them are rand members – a lot of the members retired or did not fill out the application correctly and some do not want to belong to the Union
d. Bylaws: Stephanie Prochette – regarding the numbers of by-laws being presented.
See the By-laws document
e. Consultation:
Bruno: thinking of going back to consultation meetings.
Ian: local and regional consultation – not liberated so feel unprepared attending the meetings. Meet 1 hr before meeting. Difficulty meeting as they have to leave their shift work understaffed.
VAC has pre-meetings to discuss agenda items and who will be presenting.
Stewards to be released for preparation for the union meetings ½ days at local and regional levels
f. Communications:
not much happening during the pandemic. Once we get the list of members, it would be easier to mobilize and contact the members.
We have a Facebook account but no other platform. Using it inform people across the country of issues regarding the various groups.
g. Stewards:
nothing new. We do have swag for the AGM – pens, iPad bases -15, glasses
there is a backlog on training of new stewards
h. Subgroups:
15 subgroups and maybe 13 as 2 may become inactive – awaiting confirmation.
Selena suggesting that president may visit – to try to encourage participation.
I. Elections – Selena acclaimed. April 22 is when we will know the others who have been elected
Call out for MALs will be made after the elections are concluded. The meeting for MAL positions will occur on April 27.
j. AGM Coordinator
nothing to report.
k. Promotional Items:
We still have a number of promotional items – pens,etc. Will discuss prior to the AGM if it is an in-person event.
l. Orientation:
no new members to orient. Depending on the elections, If there are 2 new executives,
there will be a more formal presentation.
Perhaps, there could be information on our shared drives regarding orientation
Eg: Robert’s rules, roles of Executive members, conduct at meetings, and responsibilities.
We will need to organize new computers for the new members.
8. Other Business/Roundtable
PIPSC president could provide a clear mandate letter to send to the Minister of Justice, managers and commissioners regarding salary gaps, and the needs of our members that are not being met.
SH represents 6% of PIPSC thus, we are not visible and our issues are not being met. – wage gaps within the group. Other groups that are health professionals that are not being identified.
Jen to lobby on our behalf – letters to MPs etc. Ask Jen to come to the bargaining table to communicate what we need,
Roundtable: Peter – questions re going back to the common office – consultation issue rather than executive issue. Every department has cart blanche and we have no recourse.
Terry: member was required to take her computer home nightly – negotiated a transfer to a different department. The manager remains. Others are told to take their computers home due to lack of space in the office.
Back to work the employer needs to make accommodations for the employees.
Meeting Adjourned at 3:04pm